Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 1 Smoke Management STRATEGIES TECHNIQUES

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 2 LESSON OBJECTIVES: n Understand that smoke and its constituents can be managed. n Define/discuss the 3 principal smoke management strategies available. n Describe the different tools/techniques within each strategy needed to prepare a Smoke Management Plan.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 3 INTRODUCTION n Smoke can be managed. n Legislation requires a Smoke Management Plan (Sec ). n 3 Principal Strategies, each has several techniques available.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 4 STRATEGIES Page 9, Va Rx Guide n Avoidance n Dilution n Emission Reduction

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 5 AVOIDANCE STRATEGY n Keep all smoke/emissions away from smoke sensitive areas.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 6 AVOIDANCE TO BURN OR NOT TO BURN? n Is prescribed burning necessary, or are there other alternatives such as: Mechanical Bury/Landfill Chemical Increase Biomass Utilization Grazing

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 7 AVOIDANCE NO NEW SMOKE n Schedule burns for conditions that make intrusions into smoke sensitive areas unlikely: When wind is blowing away from sensitive areas Avoid burning into late afternoon or nighttime Burn on “strengthening” not “calming” winds Burn units above stable air layer in mountains Avoid weekend/holiday burning Look for burn chances outside normal season

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 8 AVOIDANCE SMOKE HAPPENS, CAN I SHUT IT OFF? Have a contingency plan for shutting down operations safely and quickly if the unexpected happens -Identify existing log roads, trails, etc. useful in shutting burn off -Construct some additional internal lines -Burn in small blocks -Provide for engines to standby with water/foam -Provide for dozer unit to standby -Identify & notify available extra personnel -Totally finish one burn block before moving to another block

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 9 Burn small units Rdistributing Emissions Reduce Area Burned

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 10 Reduce Area Burned

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Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 12 Choose appropriate wind direction

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Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 15 DILUTION STRATEGY n Mix a fixed amount of smoke/emissions throughout a larger volume of air.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 16 Prescribe for nighttime dispersion -overnight low 5 o > dew point -<80% RH

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 17 DILUTION IF YOU MUST POLLUTE, PLEASE DILUTE n Good Ventilation = Good Dispersal Burn during mid-day when ventilation typically improves and avoid burning late when ventilation deteriorates. Stable atmosphere vs. unstable atmosphere Pay attention to Mixing Heights and Transport Winds

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 18 Burn when dispersion is good n Mixing Height n Transport WS

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 19 DILUTION SMALLER ACRES/SLOWER MATCHES n Burn fewer and/or narrower strips at any one time. Too slow a pace to ignition can cause operations to extend into poor dispersal period n Burn smaller area during each burning period. Subdividing larger burn units into several smaller ones to accommodate smoke management needs costs more.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 20 DILUTION TURN IF OFF, COME BACK LATER IF SMOKE HAPPENS n Have a contingency plan to suspend operations early and come back another time to put up the rest of your smoke.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 21 EMISSION REDUCTION STRATEGY n Reduce the quantity of smoke or emissions produced/unit area (e.g. reduce the tons/acre of PM2.5 produced).

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 22 EMISSION REDUCTION TONNAGE AND TIMELAGS n Focus on larger/heavier fuels and duff classes. Reduce total fuel loading present on the site. Reduce actual fuel load consumed during burn.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 23 REDUCE FUEL LOADINGS n Improve biomass utilization (e.g. low stumps, chipping) n Isolate heavy fuel concentrations from ignition source Interior control lines Pre-treat with foam/water/retardant n Is your duff burning?

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 24 Burn frequently

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 25 Burn under dry conditions n Dry conditions lead to increased combustion efficiency and less emissions may be produced. However... Increase Combustion Efficiency

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 26 Burn before large fuels cure Reduce Fuel Consumed

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 27 Reduce Fuel Consumed Burn before precipitation

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 28 REDUCE CONSUMTION n Schedule burns when large fuel class moistures are too high to ignite or sustain combustion, yet finer fuels will burn (e.g. a low RH day 1-3 days after long duration “soaking” rain). n Break up/scatter heavy fuel concentrations (change horizontal arrangement/continuity of large fuels).

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 30 EMISSION REDUCTION n Favor flaming over smoldering combustion Firing technique--backing fires/mass ignition Keep dirt out of piles Avoid burning heavy organic soils Mop-up--prompt and thorough, get inside!

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 31 MINIMIZATION TECHNIQUES n Have clear objectives (Sec ). Obtain/use weather forecasts. Don’t burn during stagnation advisories, inversions. Comply with regulations, including the local ones. n Burn under good dispersion conditions. Notify Virginia Dept. of Forestry of burn. Notify local fire dept. dispatchers, adjacent landowners and other neighbors. Burn under favorable moisture conditions.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 32 MINIMIZATION TECHNIQUES n Use backing fire whenever you can, flanking too. Smaller areas. n Mop-up. n Have an emergency plan and implementation criteria. n Shut it off, safe and fast.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 33 PILE AND WINDROW POINTERS n Allow large fuels to dry before concentrating into piles or windrows. n Cover piles before rains start. n Keep dirt out by using toothed (brush-rake) blades n Round “haystack” piles burn more efficiently than windrows do. Pile it higher.

Virginia Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Program 34 OTHER REFERENCES n Guide for Prescribed Fire in Southern Forests, pp , and 32 (Step 5). n Prescribed Fire Smoke Management Guide, pp n Various web-sites (EPA Website-Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires)